A SENIOR civil servant in Stephen Byers's beleaguered Transport Department was last night suspended in the investigation into leaks against former spin doctor Jo Moore.

Ian Jones, the department's head of news and deputy to ex-communications director Martin Sixsmith, was suspended on full pay "pending further inquiries".

The move is likely to be seen as a sign of the determination to pursue the officials blamed by ministers for deliberately undermining Ms Moore, a Labour Party appointee.

Traditionally, Whitehall leak inquiries rarely produce results and there is likely to be some surprise that Mr Jones was suspended so quickly.

The Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) said the decision had been taken by the Permanent Secretary, Sir Richard Mottram, and that ministers had not been involved.

The disclosure came as Tony Blair found himself embroiled in a new row over government advisers amid accusations that he had obstructed a Commons inquiry into the role of Lord Birt, commissioned by No 10 to review long-term transport policy.

Mr Blair was fiercely rebuked by the Labour-dominated Commons transport select committee over what it described as a "deliberate attempt" to undermine the whole system of parliamentary select committees.

It warned if he was not prepared to allow Lord Birt to appear he should come before the committee himself.

Sir Nigel Wicks, the chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said that he would also consider calling Sir Richard in the inquiry they are launching into government special advisers like Ms Moore.